
A vivid portrait unfolds within the cluttered walls of the Henkeman household, where comfort is measured in rickety chairs and a single wicker seat. The narrator steps into a world of makeshift spaces—a “conceptual hall” that doubles as a skating arena, a kitchen that smells of oil and forgotten meals, and a living area that feels more like an ever‑shifting stage than a home. Through witty, observant prose, the everyday rituals of the family—snacking on potatoes, juggling oversized steps, and the gentle chaos of children at play—reveal a community that thrives on improvisation and a love of simple pleasures.
As the visitors are welcomed with the Henkemans’ characteristic warmth, their unconventional lifestyle becomes a canvas for humor and subtle critique. The narrative captures the tension between poverty and artistic ambition, showing how the family fashions a personal paradise out of broken furniture, mismatched décor, and spontaneous creativity. It’s a charming, slightly absurd glimpse into a world where art and life blur, inviting listeners to linger in the delightful disorder of the Henkeman’s daily existence.
Language
nl
Duration
~2 hours (125K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Produced by Jeroen Hellingman and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net/ for Project Gutenberg.
Release date
2017-01-22
Rights
Public domain in the USA.
Subjects

1877–1946
A Dutch writer and stage actor from the late 19th and early 20th centuries, he moved between theater and fiction with ease. He is remembered especially for his plays and for Hofstad (1909), a satirical novel set in literary and social circles in The Hague.
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